The Super Mario Bros. Movie review: a joyous adventure that’ll make any Nintendo fan happy

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is the most pleasantly surprising video game adaptation I’ve seen in a very long time. From its stunning animation, thoughtful gaming references and lively cast, it’s a film that I couldn’t stop smiling at for its entire runtime.

Mario and Luigi are regular moustachioed fellas from Brooklyn, desperate to kick their new plumbing business off the ground. After a disastrous first job, the two grasp the opportunity to attempt fixing a major flooding problem in the city, in the hopes of repairing their already-damaged reputation.

However, things don’t go to plan - while trying to work their plumbing magic, the two get sucked up into a Warp Pipe, catapulting Mario into the Mushroom Kingdom and Luigi into Bowser’s domain. Desperate to save his brother from the King of the Koopas, our red-capped protagonist sets out to enlist the help of Princess Peach, who’s already begun formulating a plan to put a stop to Bowser’s tyranny once and for all.

Take a look at the trailer for The Super Mario Bros. Movie below.

Truthfully, there’s nothing groundbreaking about the plot - as you’d expect from most animated children’s movies, the bulk of the runtime consists of our heroes travelling the colourful land, befriending new companions and ultimately saving the day. However, it’s remarkably apparent just how much love and care has been put into the film, and fans of Mario and Nintendo in general are going to have an absolute field day spotting all the references and Easter eggs that have been included.

While some are more obvious - like the Mario Kart Rainbow Road scene that’s been shown in trailers - others are more subtle. Without spoiling anything, there were many times that I had to stop myself from pointing at the screen like Leonardo DiCaprio in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Looking out for references like these quickly became my favourite part of the experience, and any viewer who goes in wanting to do the same won’t get bored as they’re so constant. Even so, they’re not forced down viewers’ throats in a way that detracts from the main plot. Once fans are able to analyse every frame of this thing, I can’t even imagine how many clever references will be found.

Even though the story itself isn’t going to win any awards, the voice cast have done a wonderful job at breathing new life into the beloved characters. There was never any doubt that Jack Black is the perfect person to play Bowser, and seeing (or rather, hearing) him in action proves this once and for all. While he totally nails the serious villainous scenes, he also uncovers a goofier side to Mario’s arch nemesis that’s hilarious to watch, and doesn’t feel at all out of place.

Charlie Day’s portrayal of Luigi is also a huge highlight. Out of the entire cast, the personality of Mario’s anxious brother feels the closest to his already-established character from the games, and Day’s brilliant voice acting has made him more endearing than ever before. Meanwhile, Anya Taylor-Joy’s version of Princess Peach is the strongest and most self-sufficient we’ve ever seen the character - gone are the days of being a damsel in distress, she’s now just as much a hero as either of the titular brothers, and it’s awesome to see.

Universal Pictures.

Although fans were initially very mixed about the decision to cast Chris Pratt as Mario himself, I was pleasantly surprised by his performance. Certain moments reveal that his fabled “Mario voice” is genuinely spot on (although as the trailers up to this point have shown, he mostly speaks in his regular voice throughout).

Despite this, Mario’s character is sure to prove divisive. The way that he’s been written is a departure from his cheery, frequently wahoo-ing self which Charles Martinet established in the games - instead, he’s much more passive and doesn’t really shine as brightly as everyone else around him. Occasionally he’s a bit angsty, too, which feels out of character when compared to his usual upbeat personality. That’s not to say he’s not likeable, but he doesn’t feel like the same optimistic hero that fans have grown up with.

That aside, it has to be said that the animation is gorgeous. Every single frame of the movie is colourful and vibrant, and the characters and creatures populating the screen - from the main cast to the Koopa Troopas and Cheep Cheeps - are delightfully expressive and oozing with charm. What’s more, the score accompanying the film is spectacular - while there are a few ‘regular’ songs thrown in now and then (it seems that all video game adaptations releasing this year have got a thing for ‘Take on Me’), most of the soundtrack consists of fantastic remixes of iconic Mario game music, some of which gave me goosebumps.

All in all, as an avid Nintendo fan, The Super Mario Bros. Movie is pretty much everything I hoped it would be. For adult non-gamers, the film will most likely come across as a pleasant, if not slightly generic child-friendly adventure. However, anyone who’s played literally any Mario game before (and especially those familiar with other retro Nintendo goodness) are sure to be blown away by the film’s incredible attention to detail. This is more than a movie that takes inspiration from the main Mario series, it’s bursting with love for everything about the franchise and gaming in general, and is overall an immensely enjoyable time.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie releases in UK cinemas 5 April 2023.